The survey on PKR's popularity with voters conducted by a unit at the Universiti Malaya is unreliable, even to the point of being bogus, as many of the respondents were the student helpers themselves and their friends and families living in places outside of the designated sample area of Klang Valley. Although the results of this poll have not created significant impact on PKR or Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, it is being used by the BN-controlled mainstream media to attack PKR ahead of the Pakatan Rakyat convention due next weekend.

"I have seen the email that is going around the campus (that students were used in the poll) but we try to put a positive face on the matter. We will take this in a positive way and try to improve ourselves," Anwar told reporters this afternoon when asked about the possibility of deliberate sabotage to smear PKR.

"As we have pointed out, it is highly suspicious that this so-called independent unit in the UM would specially choose to carry out the survey during the PKR direct elections. We do not know if it was commissioned by the Trojan horses that have since been kicked out of PKR or by BN elements for the purpose of inflicting damage on Pakatan," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

Commissioned as a tool to be used against Pakatan

Zaid quit in a huff - due to form new party in Jan

The UM poll was conducted by the Democratic Research and Elections Centre during the PKR historic direct elections held last month. It had sought the opinion of 1,124 respondents aged between 20 and 50 from the opposition strongholds of Cheras, Bandar Tun Razak, Titiwangsa, Ampang, Bukit Bintang, Subang Jaya, Wangsa Maju and Lembah Pantai.

Only 35 per cent of the respondents said they would continue to support the PKR while 22 per cent said they are fence-sitters. The poll also found that 52 per cent of respondents said the PKR party crisis had affected their confidence in the party and in its leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, while 29 per cent thought otherwise. The remaining 19 per cent were unsure.

But despite the findings that PKR was losing ground, party supporters have been largely unruffled by the survey results, which have also failed to gain traction with average Malaysians.

"Many people see the name Universiti Malaya and they know it is controlled by the Umno-BN. There is also speculation that Zaid Ibrahim and his supporters are still trying all ways and means to discredit PKR. One tactic an enemy would adopt would be to commission a so-called independent survey at a time when it is ceaselessly attacking PKR and Anwar. It only reflects the depth of their treachery," PKR veteran Eddie Wong told Malaysia Chronicle.

Email whistle-blower

An email sent by a former student leader still involved in the UM student body to Malaysia Chronicle appears to bear out the sabotage theory. The student leader has asked not to be named, but has minced no words in describing the manner in which the 'survey' was conducted.

According to him, the survey was held without proper monitoring and guidance. Student helpers were even allowed to fill out the questionnaires themselves rather than canvass for genuine replies from voters within the Klang Valley.

"The research authority used their students as research group. These students who became the ground researchers were briefed only once and the survey forms were distributed to them without any double checking on the methodology of collecting data by these students. Based on these two factors, hence, I believe that there are some issues in the research which accuracy is in question due to forgery," the student leader told Malaysia Chronicle.

Malaysia Chronicle appends below the email (original text in Bahasa Malaysia) and the English translation for readers' perusal

Greetings,

Sorry for the interruption. I just want to share my views. I see many authorities are using UM's recent research on PKR to destabilize DSAI and the party

I don't deny that the recent party election left an impact on the image of party and DSAI himself. However, please note that from the view of democracy principle, the direct election is good.

Yesterday, I had a discussion with a good friend of mine who is also the Ex co of ABIM and former research assistant to UM's Dean. Based on the discussion, I came to conclusion that there is an issue on the 'reliability' of the research based on certain matters:

1) The research authority used their students as research group

2)These students who became the ground researchers were briefed only once and the survey forms were distributed to them without any double checking on the methodology

of collecting data by these students

Based on these two factors, hence, I believe that there are some issues in the research which accuracy is in question due to forgery:

1) My friend himself is the respondent

2)In the survey report, it is mentioned that the respondents are from Klang Valley but there are some students, the ground researchers, went back to hometown and distributed the survey forms to their relatives who are staying out of Selangor and Klang Valley.

3)There is also an allegation that students themselves took the survey and distributed the survey forms among themselves(as how some undergraduates do...hehe..)